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Nigeria: N300m Scam - Senate Rejects Iyabo's Report
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Vanguard (Lagos)
9 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Emmanuel Aziken and Laide Akinboade
Lagos
THE Senate, yesterday, turned down the National Health Bill facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Health with funds from the N300 million unspent 2007 budget of the Ministry.
The Senate returned the bill to its Committee on Health which was presented by the Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gyang Dantong, in the absence of its chairman, Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello.
The report was rejected by the Senate over alleged irregularities in the report.
Former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, who stormed the National Assembly in the company of other labour activists on an anti-corruption protest challenged Senator Obasanjo-Bello to come out of hiding to face the law.
Senators who commented on the report presented by the Senator Obasanjo-Bello-led Health Committee regretted that the preparation of the report on the National Health Bill was shoddy and fell short of Senate procedures.
The report was endorsed by Senator Obasanjo-Bello and 19 of the other 11 committee members. The only exception was Senator Chimaroke Nnamani. The report was dated April 7, 2008 apparently prepared at least a week before Senator Obasanjo-Bello went into hiding following accusations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the Ghana trip was facilitated with ill-gotten money from the Federal Ministry of Health.
"The Committee had a retreat in Ghana primarily to deliberate comprehensively on the Bill," the report disclosed.
"The Bill as presented today (yesterday) is intended to fulfil the obligation of government with regard to the rights relating to health care services as stated in the Constitution.
Primary Health Care and National Health Insurance are the means this Bill is using to establish a Universal Basic Health care access for all Nigerians," the report deposed.
It was noted that the report as presented did not make recommendations and the Senate thus urged the Committee to re-present the report next Tuesday.
"It is a very important Bill, but as it is now, it is very difficult to follow what have been recommended," Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President of the Senate, said.
The President of the Senate, Chief David Mark, who presided at yesterday's session in his own comments said: "The issue raised are very simple and straight forward. The changes should be properly highlighted for you to know there is a change at all, it must be highlighted. You don't know what they changed from one thing to the other. You have not highlighted it for us to know where you have made changes."
A bid by Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, a member of the Committee, to save the bill was only partially successful. But it was the Vice Chairman of the committee, Senator Dantong, who on his volition withdrew the report pleading: "Due to the observations made by the Senate, on behalf of the committee, I wish to stand down the bill."
Come out of hiding, Oshiomhole tells Iyabo
But Mr. Oshiomhole addressing protesters said: "We were told during a national broadcast that minister and senators were corrupt but today, where is Iyabo Obasanjo? The law made by the father must take its toll on the daughter.
What happened to Wabara must happen to Iyabo.
President Yar'Adua must bring Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to justice."
"In criminality, you don't stay in your house when your matter is in court. Senator Iyabo-Obasanjo should come out of hiding and face the law.
"The nemesis of the father has come to catch up with the daughter. The law she is running away from was made by her father. She should come out and answer the law," Oshiomhole said.
Comrade Oshiomhole's presence in the National Assembly was part of the planned protest organised by the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other civil society organisations to protest the rising level of corruption in the country, the first of such protest since the advent of the present political dispensation
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The protesters led by the President of NLC, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, brandished banners bearing different inscriptions such as "Catch and jail all national thieves," "Probe is not enough, we want justice," "Save Nigerians, prosecute corrupt leaders," "No food, no light, no life," "We demand for judicial commission of enquiry," etc.
Labour vows to resist cover-up
Before presenting their letter of protest to the Senate President, Chief Mark, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole, Comrade Omar told the gathering later that Nigerian workers would resist any attempt to cover up anybody connected with corruption.
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The die hard move by the NLC and affiliate labor organizations to the N/A is reminiscence of the glorious days of Comrade Michael Imodu. Today the Labor Union is back again to fight for what is right for the people and Nigerians could not agree more with you that Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello must come out from hiding and surrender to law of the land. What goes around comes around so Iyabo you can only run but cannot hide indefinitely
By the time this administration took over office from the last just about a year ago, power generation in the country was between 3000MW and 40000 MW or thereabout. After all the manipulations and display of ineptitude for about a year, the power generation in the country has reduced to about 870 MW. Will anybody with functioning intellect still continue to blame the previous administration? The world is watching!
iyagbo i thought you are a very descent woman but you also follow Etteh former speaker and disgrace the rest of Nigerian women.your father is more descent than you,but i advise that you should come out and defend your self before your fellow Nigerians.God bless you and forgives you for you don,t know what you are doing.And one big thing is you need God deliverance.
These corruption charges just keep increasing. www.BusinessJeeves.com just posted more dramas. It must be uncomfortable up there now, especially when you are drunk on oil money!
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